Athletic Group To Dedicate Fields To Bethlehem Twp.

May 20, 1986|by TIM DARRAGH, The Morning Call

The Bethlehem Township Athletic Association's sports field committee chairman told commissioners last night that the association intends to dedicate to the township the athletic field it hopes to build at the park on Farmersville Road.

Don Jean, chairman of the committee and the author of an April 14 letter outlining the association's plans, told the commissioners that dedicating a field and related facilities to the township "was always our intention."

The township Recreation Board last week reviewed Jean's letter and favored the idea of having the association develop a facility. However, the board said it would not support the proposal if the improvements were not dedicated to the township.

Jean's letter never mentioned formally dedicating the improvements to the township. Further, he said last night that the points in the three-phase improvement plan were negotiable.

After clearing the air about the association's intentions, the commissioners and association representatives agreed to try to come to terms about the proposal, so that both sides' lawyers could work it into a legal agreement. Township solicitor Frank Danyi said if he can talk with the association's lawyer before the commissioners' June 9 meeting, "we can keep this thing moving."

Jean said he hopes an agreement can be hammered out in time to allow seeding for the football/soccer field in the fall.

Both sides appeared optimistic that an agreement could be reached.

One issue still to be resolved is how food concessions should be provided. Some commissioners noted that portable concessions may be preferable to a permanent concession stand, but Chairman Fran Sitoski said that, since plans called for development of permanent storage and toilet facilities, a permanent concession stand also should be considered.

Danyi also said the township could not accept Jean's written suggestion that the association receive a self-perpetuating, no-end lease. He said a lease of up to five years, subject to renewal, might be more appropriate. Jean, however, said the organization doesn't want to be denied use of the field it would build if new commissioners opposed to the plan were elected.

"There needs to be some language we can grasp onto," Jean said.

Two other items that Danyi said will need further discussion are defining the boundaries of the township's and the association's liability, and adding the township as an additional insured party on the association's policy. He said that could be done at little or no cost. The association would only need food concessions for four home football games, Jean said.

John Griffin, recreation board chairman, said the board would want to see any development at the park conform with existing plans for the park land. He also said the board hopes it could get a "fairly strong commitment" from the association to build whatever facilities it installs to the fullest - a promise Jean made in his letter.

In addition, Sitoski said accepting the association's proposal would not necessarily force commissioners to accept every proposal for the park. Commissioner Joseph Gencarelli added that the township could not accept any language saying the township would have to make repairs to the satisfaction of the association's board of directors.

Jean also distributed copies of a letter to the editor he wrote to The Globe-Times, a Bethlehem newspaper, criticizing an editorial published in the paper Friday. He said the association's "intentions are civic-minded and will stand up to any and all . . . newsprint assassinations . . . (and) verbal abuse from outspoken township critics." Jean included The Morning Call in his criticism, but did not identify any areas of disagreement with the paper's reporting on the issue.

The association organizes boys and girls activities, including The Bulldogs football team.

The meeting was interrupted when Sitoski left the room after he refused to accept comments from a resident not representing either side. Louis Gallucci then left the building after he was told that public comments are not taken at workshop meetings. Sitoski returned to the meeting, where Danyi later mentioned that the board did not have to accept public comment even at its regular monthly meetings. He said he would not favor eliminating the courtesy- of-the-floor policy for the monthly meetings, though.